Thiruvananthapuram, December 28: India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana etched her name in cricket’s record books on Sunday, becoming the fourth woman to surpass 10,000 runs in international cricket and the fastest ever to reach the landmark.
The 29-year-old left-handed opener achieved the milestone during the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium, reaching the mark in just 281 innings across all formats — 10 innings quicker than the previous record holder.
Exclusive Club of Four
Mandhana joins an elite group of women cricketers who have crossed the 10,000-run barrier in international cricket. She is the second Indian to achieve this feat after legendary Mithali Raj, who leads the all-time charts with 10,868 runs.
New Zealand’s Suzie Bates (10,652 runs) and England’s Charlotte Edwards (10,273 runs) are the other two players ahead of Mandhana in the all-time run-scorers list.
However, Mandhana’s journey to the milestone has been remarkably swift. She reached 10,000 runs in her 281st innings, surpassing Mithali Raj’s previous record of 291 innings. Edwards took 308 innings while Bates needed 314 innings to reach the same landmark.
The Milestone Moment
Mandhana entered Sunday’s match needing just 27 runs to reach the historic mark. The defining moment came when she drove left-arm spinner Nimasha Meepage down to long-on for a single, triggering celebrations in the Indian camp.
She went on to finish with a fluent 80 off 48 balls, an innings that included 11 boundaries and three sixes. Her knock powered India to their highest-ever T20I total of 221 for 2.
Record-Breaking Partnership
Mandhana was involved in a monumental 162-run opening partnership with Shafali Verma — the highest stand for India for any wicket in women’s T20Is. The partnership laid the foundation for India’s commanding total and eventual 30-run victory that sealed a 4-0 series lead.
During her innings, Mandhana also went past captain Harmanpreet Kaur to become India’s leading six-hitter in women’s T20Is. With three sixes in her knock, she now has 80 maximums in the format, surpassing Harmanpreet’s tally of 78.
Outstanding Year for India’s Vice-Captain
The milestone caps what has been an extraordinary 2025 for Mandhana. During India’s victorious Women’s ODI World Cup campaign that concluded early last month, she became the first woman to score 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year.
She finished 2025 as the leading run-scorer in ODIs with 1,362 runs — comfortably ahead of the next best, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who accumulated 1,174 runs. Mandhana also scored five ODI centuries this year, a feat that was equalled by South Africa’s pair of Tazmin Brits and Wolvaardt.
Another T20I Milestone
Earlier in the current series against Sri Lanka, Mandhana became only the second player to surpass 4,000 runs in women’s T20Is. She now has 4,102 runs in the format, with only New Zealand’s Suzie Bates ahead of her among the leading run-scorers in women’s T20Is with 4,716 runs.
Career Statistics Across Formats
Mandhana’s journey to 10,000 international runs comprises stellar performances across all three formats:
Test Cricket:
- 629 runs in 7 matches
- Average: 57.18
- 2 centuries, 3 fifties
ODI Cricket:
- 5,322 runs in 117 matches
- Average: 48.38
- 14 centuries, 34 fifties
- Sixth-highest run-getter in the format
T20I Cricket:
- 4,102 runs in 157 matches
- Average: 29.94
- 1 century, 32 fifties
- Second-highest run-scorer in the format
- Most 50-plus scores in women’s T20Is (32)
Level with Meg Lanning
Mandhana is now level with Australian great Meg Lanning for the most international centuries in women’s cricket, with 17 hundreds each. Her consistency and ability to convert starts into big scores has been a hallmark of her batting across formats.
Youngest to the Milestone
At 29 years of age, Mandhana is also the youngest player to reach 10,000 international runs in women’s cricket, underlining her precocious talent and exceptional consistency at the highest level.
Looking Ahead
With 10,053 runs already in her career and several years of international cricket potentially ahead of her, Mandhana is well-positioned to climb further up the all-time run-scorers list. At her current rate, surpassing Mithali Raj’s tally of 10,868 runs appears well within reach.
India’s dominance in the series continues with a 4-0 lead, and the final T20I is scheduled for December 30 in Thiruvananthapuram, where the hosts will aim for a clean sweep.
For Mandhana, this historic achievement adds another glorious chapter to what is already shaping up to be one of the greatest careers in women’s cricket.
Also Read | India Women Crush Sri Lanka by 30 Runs, Take 4-0 Series Lead
